I can't answer your question, but if I might add another question to your post....when, after the full moon, can you start crabbing again? I have been reading the information contained on this board (great information!!!)...it says that once they shed, they start hardening up pretty fast, but how long is that?

For example, last full moon, I think, was July 4th...so can you go crabbing for hard shells on the 5th or the 6th?

As far as how fast they harden after a shed, in less than a hour a crab can fend for itself against mini's 3 to 4 hours he/shes ready to fight. Then for the next few days the crabs a whitey and has little meat inside. Its easy to tell which ones to throw back. They dont have any moss under the points